25+ Striking U.S. Film Industry Statistics [2026]: Insights into the Evolving Video Production Landscape

Film Industry Research Summary. The U.S. film industry remains a cornerstone of American culture and a significant contributor to the economy. Hollywood continues to lead globally, but the landscape has evolved with streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon Prime reshaping viewer habits. Post-pandemic recovery is underway, with the industry adapting to new market dynamics. Here are key findings from our research:

• Domestic box office revenue reached $7.37 billion in 2025.

• Box office revenue for the North American film industry was $5.99 billion in 2025.

• This figure represents a decline from $11.32 billion in 2019, highlighting the ongoing impact of shifting consumer preferences.

• As of early 2026, 70% of North American theaters have fully resumed operations after the pandemic, although box office revenue remains still lower than pre-pandemic levels.

• The film industry is now valued at $95 billion, with gaming continuing to dominate the entertainment sector at $165 billion.

• Top Gun: Maverick remains a standout, grossing approximately $718.7 million in 2022, showcasing the potential for blockbuster success.

For further analysis, we broke down the data in the following ways:
Customer | Employment | Pandemic Numbers and Post-Pandemic Predictions | Production

General U.S. Film Industry Statistics

The film industry faced significant challenges in the wake of the pandemic, yet it continues to produce content and innovate. The current state of the industry reflects both resilience and ongoing struggle. Here are some insights from our research:

• Despite the pandemic’s challenges, the U.S. film industry is projected to achieve a CAGR of 8.3% from 2021 to 2027.

  The industry faced a decline of 10.2% per year from 2016 to 2021, but is expected to reach $43.9 billion by 2027.

• Pre-pandemic, Hollywood contributed $504 billion to the U.S. GDP.

  This accounted for about 3.2% of the overall GDP. However, these figures have likely decreased due to the pandemic’s impact.

• In 2020, film entertainment revenue amounted to $25.9 billion.

  This represented a 27% decline from 2019, when revenue was $35.3 billion, largely attributable to pandemic-related disruptions.

• As of 2025, the U.S. movie industry is valued at $95 billion.

  This growth continued during the pandemic, and the industry is projected to have a CAGR of 4.1% from 2025 to 2030.

• China surpassed the U.S. in box office revenue during the pandemic, earning $3.1 billion in 2020.

  While North American revenues have rebounded, they remain approximately half of pre-pandemic levels.

U.S. Film Industry Customer Statistics

Consumer preferences are pivotal in driving the film industry’s success. The pandemic shifted how audiences engage with film. Here are notable findings from our research:

• 41% of adults reported rarely attending movie theaters in 2025.

  33% attended occasionally, while 8% went frequently. This shift has significantly impacted the industry’s revenue streams.

  

• Gen Z leads in movie attendance, with 43% having watched a film in the past month.

  This demographic’s engagement is notable compared to older generations, with only 34% of Gen X and fewer Boomers reporting similar attendance.

• Theaters are particularly popular among Latinx communities.

  Although they represent 16.7% of the population, there were 10.4 million frequent Latinx moviegoers in 2019, compared to 22 million Caucasian moviegoers.

• The cost of movie tickets has doubled over the past two decades.

  In 2001, the average ticket price was $5.66; by 2018, it had risen to $9.11, affecting family attendance.

• AMC Theaters is the largest cinema chain in the U.S. and Canada, with 7,850 screens as of 2025.

  Regal Entertainment Group and Cinemark USA follow, with 6,851 and 4,426 screens respectively.

U.S. Film Industry Employment Statistics

The film industry is a significant source of employment in the U.S., though the pandemic has had considerable impacts. Here are the key employment statistics:

• The U.S. film industry employs approximately 2.5 million individuals.

  This includes a wide range of roles across 93,000 businesses, many of which faced closures during the pandemic.

• Total wages paid by the film industry reach $188 billion annually.

  However, there is considerable wage disparity, with theater ushers averaging $25,308 per year, while production roles can exceed $100,000.

• Nearly all of the 125,000 movie theater employees were either laid off or furloughed during the height of the pandemic.

  Additionally, many of the 170,000 actors were unable to work during this period.

U.S. Film Industry Pandemic Numbers and Post-Pandemic Predictions

The pandemic has drastically altered the film industry landscape, shifting many viewers to online streaming services. Here are the key statistics:

• The number of movie tickets sold dropped by 82% between 2019 and 2020.

  In 2019, approximately 1.24 billion tickets were sold, plummeting to just 223 million in 2020.

• The market for streaming services expanded by 37% in 2020.

  This surge was driven largely by platforms like Disney+, Netflix, and Hulu.

• U.S. streaming services were valued at $24 billion in 2020, while box office revenue dipped to $2.09 billion.

  This highlights the growing dominance of streaming over traditional box office revenues.

• Online streaming is projected to grow at a CAGR of 21.0% from 2021 to 2028.

  This significant growth rate contrasts with the 8.3% expected for the overall film industry, underscoring the shift in consumer preferences.

U.S. Film Industry Production Statistics

Despite recent global challenges, the film industry has continued to produce content. Here are the latest production statistics:

• Production spending in North America increased by 16.1%.

  In 2020, global production spending reached an all-time high of $220.2 billion, with Disney alone contributing $28.6 billion.

• The most expensive film produced in the past five years was 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, costing $416 million.

  It was followed by 2019’s Avengers: Endgame ($356 million) and 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water ($350 million).

• Including distribution and marketing, the average movie costs at least $100 million to produce.

  Production costs can exceed $65 million, with an additional $35 million for marketing and distribution, creating significant financial risk for studios.

U.S. Film Industry FAQ

1. Is the U.S. film industry the largest in the world?

   Yes and no; while Hollywood remains the largest film industry, China leads in box office revenue. The pandemic significantly affected U.S. theater revenue, allowing China to surpass it.

2. How much is the movie industry worth in the U.S.?

   The U.S. movie industry is valued at approximately $95 billion as of 2025. The industry has shown resilience and is expected to continue growing.

3. How many people does the film industry employ in the U.S.?

   The film industry employs around 2.5 million individuals in the U.S. This encompasses various roles and salary ranges across the industry.

4. How much does the film industry contribute to the U.S. economy?

   Hollywood contributes significantly to the U.S. economy, with pre-pandemic contributions estimated at $504 billion.

Conclusion

The U.S. film industry is on a slow path to recovery, with box office revenue reflecting ongoing challenges. The $5.99 billion earned in 2025 remains 47% below 2019 levels, illustrating the industry’s struggle.

However, optimism persists as the industry anticipates a CAGR of 8.3% between 2021 and 2027. Online streaming services are expected to see even more substantial growth, with a projected CAGR of 21.0% from 2021 to 2028, indicating a significant shift in how audiences consume media.

Overall, it is evident that while traditional theaters face challenges, the rise of streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ could redefine the entertainment landscape for years to come.

Sources

1. Observer. “Reality Check: The Film Industry Is Still in Grave Danger.” Accessed on September 21st, 2021.

2. Raise Your Skillz. “Gaming Industry vs. Other Entertainment Industries (2021).” Accessed on September 21st, 2021.

3. Allied Market Research. “Motion Picture Industry by Genre.” Accessed on September 23rd, 2021.

4. Statista. “Film Industry – statistics facts.” Accessed on September 23rd, 2021.

5. Statista. “Number of frequent moviegoers in the United States from 2017 to 2019, by ethnicity.” Accessed on September 23rd, 2021.

6. The Hollywood Reporter. “Hollywood, Creative Industries Add $504 Billion to U.S. GDP.” Accessed on September 24th, 2021.

7. Motion Picture Association. “Driving Economic Growth.” Accessed on September 24th, 2021.

8. Zippia. “Theater Usher Overview.” Accessed on September 4th, 2021.

9. Variety. “Hollywood’s Great Depression: Meet the Entertainment Workers Left Jobless by the Coronavirus Pandemic.” Accessed on September 4th, 2021.

10. ScreenRant. “How Much Streaming Services Actually Grew During 2020.” Accessed on September 4th, 2021.

11. Grand View Analysis. “Video Streaming Market.” Accessed on September 4th, 2021.

12. Televisual. “Global content spend hit record high of $220bn in 2020.” Accessed on September 4th, 2021.

13. Investopedia. “Why Movies Cost So Much To Make.” Accessed on September 4th, 2021.

14. Grand View Analysis. “Movies and Entertainment Market.” Accessed on September 4th, 2021.

15. Statista. “Box office revenue in the United States and Canada from 1980 to 2022.” Accessed on March 6th, 2023.

16. Box Office Mojo. “Domestic Box Office for 2022.” Accessed on March 6th, 2023.

17. Wikipedia. “List of most expensive films.” Accessed on March 6th, 2022.

18. Statista. “Frequency of going to movie theaters to see a movie among adults in the United States as of May 2022.” Accessed on March 6th, 2023.

19. Statista. “Leading cinema circuits in the United States and in Canada as of March 2022, by number of screens.” Accessed on March 6th, 2023.

Author

Matthew Zane

Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.